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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. roll — a list
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bound — certain
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com